Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO)

Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) is sponsored by U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). Seeks innovative commercial solutions to enhance military capabilities, including technologies that improve PCS relocation efficiency.

Work With Us - Open Solicitations - Commercial If your company has a proven track record of commercial viability with commercial off-the-shelf products and tech, you’re in a great position to work with us. We actively work with companies both in the U.S. and internationally, across allied countries.

You can submit your technical solutions to posted solicitations under our Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) process and Other Transaction (OT) authority - a fast, flexible way that allows us to competitively solicit proposals for DoD projects, often awarding within 60-90 days.

Hydra - Collaborative, Real-Time, Cross-System USSF Tactical Command and Control 2026-06-15 23:59:59 US/Eastern Time Background & Problem Statement The United States Space Force (USSF) is currently constrained by a fragmented ground architecture that limits the agility of modern distributed space operations.

Today, tactical Command and Control (C2) is siloed within individual mission systems, forcing operators to rely on manual coordination and brittle, centralized C2. This lack of machine-to-machine integration creates a critical lag in the Observe, Orient, Decide, Act (OODA) loop, a vulnerability that is magnified as adversaries deploy AI-driven capabilities to compress decision timelines.

To achieve decision advantage and close the kill chains across all 13 USSF Mission Deltas, the Service requires a stable, high-availability commercial data fabric that unifies disparate ground segments into an integrated and resilient warfighting environment. DIU is seeking comprehensive, end-to-end prototype software solutions that integrate existing hardware and software systems to provide a common data fabric.

This data fabric must empower tactical users to collaborate, orchestrate, and execute real-time effects from any authorized node. The goal is to fundamentally shift from isolated mission areas to a dynamic, unified architecture capable of securely connecting and sharing data from any tactical C2 center from multiple locations, at scale.

Prototypes awarded under this CSO will be expected to meet the following, capability-driven milestones: 6 Months (Deployment & Onboarding): Rapidly deploy the data fabric at the secret level or higher, establish operator workflows, and validate initial interfaces with existing USSF tactical C2 systems.

12 Months (Tactical C2 Across Two Deltas): Deliver a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) demonstrating collaborative, multi-Delta tactical C2 at the secret level or higher.

18 Months (Tactical, Multi-Security Enclave, C2 Across Three Deltas): Expand integrated tactical C2 to at least three Mission Deltas with seamless, automated data sharing and deconflicted mission execution between tactical units at multiple security enclaves, to establish a resilient, decentralized hierarchy and a mission-ready data fabric for distributed forces.

Proposed solutions will be evaluated based on their ability to deliver and substantiate operational capabilities in the following core areas: Tactical C2 & Mission Execution: Provide a comprehensive data fabric that integrates existing USSF space and ground tactical data needed to elevate and expedite decision velocity. The solution must automate the fusion of disparate tactical data (i.

e space and ground systems) into a high-fidelity Common Tactical Picture (CTP), displaying real-time, live operational mission data from multiple Mission Deltas. It must provide AI-informed mission execution for a variety of combinations of “units of action” and enable operator-on-the-loop autonomous execution of plans to rapidly close the kill chains.

Federated Data Mesh & Discovery: Implement a decentralized data architecture where data remains resident in and secured by the originating source systems, while enabling unified global discovery, access, and translation across relevant cloud and on-premises environments.

The solution should establish a unified data ontology and semantic layer to support data curation, automated tagging, and organization, while also using standard protocol servers, such as Model Context Protocol (MCP), that allows for optimization of both automated data streams and autonomous agent interaction, without forcing rigid, centralized consolidation.

Infrastructure Resilience & Distributed Computing: Build resilience directly into the software architecture through multi-path and distributed compute nodes to ensure mission continuity during local node failures or total backhaul disconnections. The solution must ensure mission systems can operate seamlessly at real-time, from any location connected to the fabric across virtual and disconnected environments.

Non-Invasive Legacy Integration: Utilize technologies to rapidly onboard existing USSF software and hardware into a modern IT architecture with minimal to no changes to existing systems and operations. This approach must present an interface compliant with the fabric API/SDK, ensuring mission systems can be hosted and managed across the fabric with minimal disruption to active operations.

Cybersecurity, Monitoring, & Multi-Enclave Zero-Trust: Deliver a decentralized Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM) framework enforcing Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC) and session persistence across disparate security enclaves at Impact Levels 4, 5, and 6 (IL4/5/6) and above—including Coalition Releasable, SECRET, TOP SECRET, SCI, and SAP environments.

Use modern commercial tools for real-time Risk Management Framework (RMF) monitoring and automated Authorization to Operate (ATO) compliance. Enforce Zero Trust Architecture across the entire solution through continuous explicit verification, least-privilege access, and micro-segmentation of all resources.

In addition to the operational capabilities above, solutions will be evaluated on their engineering maturity, technical performance, and ability to substantiate metrics in the following areas: Onboarding & Deployment Timeline: Ability to rapidly integrate tactical data from existing USSF systems, specifically minimizing or eliminating downtime to the fabric or the systems being integrated.

Latency & Decision Velocity: Demonstrated ability to maintain sub-second processing latency for tactical C2 operations, ensuring real-time, sensor-to-shooter orchestration across Mission Deltas.

Tactical Interaction & Mission Flow: User interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design that simplifies complex operator interactions and mission flows, explicitly reducing cognitive load and enabling intuitive mission planning and mission operations execution for Guardians across multiple Mission Deltas. The user interface should also support the integration of autonomous operations.

Availability & System Uptime: Proven framework for maintaining high-availability and reliability for data ingestion and mission execution, strictly enforcing modern software engineering principles to ensure data integrity and zero-loss ingestion.

Observability & Monitoring: Fully integrated tools to monitor fabric performance, to include automated health monitoring, real-time data stream quality, and persistent logging to provide complete visibility into fabric use, performance, health, and security posture.

Scalability & Elasticity: The solution’s architectural capability to scale across the entirety of the Space Force, ensuring that onboarding costs, data ingestion overhead, and query performance remain consistent as the number of data sources and consumers scales exponentially. What is a Unit of Action? A Unit of Action is defined as a group of weapon systems needed to achieve an effect.

It would be synonymous to a Force Package. Is Hydra’s focus building a Common Operating Picture? No, the goal is to enable data sharing at the tactical level while also incrementally integrating autonomy.

What will inform the systems to be integrated and what locations will be connected? Will there be a Government Reference Architecture? Each vendor will be responsible for providing recommended Mission Deltas (i.e. systems) and locations to integrate for the prototype.

There is no Government Reference Architecture at this time. Can I integrate with multiple systems inside of one Mission Delta or does the prototype have to be between multiple Mission Deltas?

The preference is between two Mission Deltas, but if the vendor has a recommendation of integrating two systems in the same Mission Delta, it will be considered but it should focus on operational utility and should not duplicate another effort already in work. Can the tactical data fabric interact with the Operational C2 system? Yes, but it should not be the sole source of tactical data.

The goal is for the tactical units to be able to work together to achieve an operational effect, without relying on the Operational C2 system. This represents an operational scenario where the Operational C2 layer may be unavailable. Can the Unified Data Library be used as the source of tactical data?

While the UDL will be integrated into the tactical data fabric, the goal for Hydra is to provide live, real-time data at the tactical level rather than pull the data from consolidated storage. Should we provide a communications networks/data transport part of the Hyrda CSO? No, the Government intends to use existing communications networks/data transport solutions.

Is the preferred deployment model cloud-native, hybrid, or on-premises — or are all three acceptable depending on enclave? The software will be deployed along existing and planned USSF infrastructure. This may include all three combinations ( cloud-native, hybrid, or on-premises) and will be dependent on the Mission Deltas selected for prototyping.

This area of interest is open to U.S. and international vendors. Vendors are reminded that in order to utilize an Other Transaction agreement, the requirements of 10 USC 4022 must be satisfied.

Specifically 10 USC 4022(d) requires significant contribution from a nontraditional defense contractor, all participants to be small business concerns or nontraditional defense contractors, or at least one third of the total cost of the prototype projects to be paid out of funds provided by sources other than the Federal Government.

This Area of Interest will follow the Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) framework established under HQ085420SC0001 DIU CSO, posted to SAM. gov in March 2020. Pathways through Challenges or Commercial Acceleration Opportunities We regularly seek proposals from both U.S.- and internationally-based ventures just like you.

Apply through DIU’s Challenges or Commercial Acceleration Opportunities to showcase your potential and get tailored support.

Open Challenges and Commercial Acceleration Opportunities — Project Spectrum Strike - Prize Challenge 2026-06-15 23:59:59 US/Eastern Time Project Spectrum Strike is the high-demand signal to industry to move proven, high technology readiness level (TRL) software technologies from live demonstration to Enterprise procurement at the speed of relevance.

The Department of War (DoW) is currently facing challenges in integrating modern technology into legacy spectrum management systems, putting American innovation, companies, and the military at a significant disadvantage compared to our adversaries.

The rapid proliferation of advanced uncrewed systems (UxS) and dynamic, multi-band radios by peer and near-peer adversaries has fundamentally crowded the electromagnetic spectrum (EMS), requiring the U.S. Government to adopt next-generation spectrum management solutions.

However, the current U.S. spectrum authorization process—governing allocation, licensing, and equipment certification—remains a manual, sequential, and paper-based bottleneck that can take 75 to 180 days to complete. The legacy system forces tactical units to navigate disconnected databases and operate under unrealistic mission constraints.

Ultimately, this analog bureaucracy degrades tactical readiness, heightens the risk of blue-on-blue EMS interference, and severely stifles the integration of critical capabilities required to maintain spectrum dominance. Desired Solution Attributes DIU and its interagency partners seek a "ready-now" automated, software-driven spectrum deconfliction and authorization ecosystem.

Run by DIU in partnership with the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, NTIA, FCC, FAA, and DHS, this Prize Challenge serves to dismantle "compliance-based bureaucracy." The primary goal is to identify mature, usable enterprise software capabilities (TRL >= 7) ready for deployment.

The objective is to drastically reduce approval timelines from 90+ days to less than five days and establish a standing library of approved spectrum activities. This spectrum activity playbook will allow DoW Units to ‘one-click’ submit requests for known/routine activities that do not represent significant risks outside of DoW property.

The core deliverable is a deployable "one stop shop" dashboard accessible across the DoW and federal partners that visually depicts the EMS environment geographically and utilizes Artificial Intelligence (AI) agents to triage and route coordination requests. All data produced, ingested, or processed on this platform must be securely housed within authorized government cloud infrastructure.

Proposed solutions must conform to open architecture principles. These will be employed initially at the Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) level to enhance lethality, survivability, and mission effectiveness, with employment tailorable to both strategic (cloud) and tactical (edge) environments. Submissions must feature mature, mission-ready architectures capable of participating in live, virtual, and constructed evaluations.

If the software solution proves successful, we intend to buy it as an enterprise service pending DoW funds availability.

To maximize competitiveness, proposed solutions must align with the following technical capabilities and evaluation priorities: Agentic Automation & UI/UX: Must feature a "One Stop Shop" dashboard that utilizes AI to automate interagency rule logic (Redbook/FCC/FAA) and triage workflows without persistent human-in-the-loop bottlenecking (while providing human-on-the-loop functionality).

AI agents must autonomously parse complex forms (e.g., vendors’ information documentation, DD Form 1494/JF-12, Special Temporary Authorization Licenses). Conduct initial triage to determine if proposed spectrum requests can be authorized in the U.S., in foreign nations (at least by region), and U.S. territories.

High-Fidelity Modeling & Simulation (M&S): Must include high certainty, physics-based RF propagation and spectrum modeling that includes clutter, terrain losses, power thresholds, and aggregate interference potential. Architecture & Integration: Must feature viable machine-to-machine APIs capable of seamlessly ingesting and exporting data from siloed Federal databases (e.g., Spectrum XXI).

Must provide agile, transparent mapping and generation of workflows, allowing for auditable equipment coordination governance as policies change. Cybersecurity & Compliance: National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) compliance is required.

Must have a clear roadmap for all software environments and databases must ensure that any data produced, simulated, or ingested on the platform is housed at least within government cloud infrastructure. Must show a clear pathway to achieving DoD Cloud Computing Security Requirements Guide (CC SRG) Impact Level 5 (IL5) and Impact Level 6 (IL6) cloud security accreditations.

Performance & Efficiency Metrics: Must deliver a 0% false negative rate for critical safety-of-flight or GNSS physics interference issues. Must achieve a 60-70% reduction in manual data entry touchpoints.

Equipment Spectrum Certification (ESC) Automation: Must provide initial capabilities with a verifiable roadmap to automate the generation, review, and coordination processes of ESC data, fully replacing the requirement for human data input. Business & Market Analysis: Demonstrated ability to scale the software environment. Provide a range of pricing for enterprise licensing, cloud hosting, and lifecycle support.

All dates are tentative and subject to change. Round 1 - Initial Pitch Deck: June 1, 2026: Challenge Issued & Open Call Release. June 15, 2026: Initial Pitch Deck Submissions Due (Initial Down-Select Gate).

June 22, 2026: Invitations to Round 2 Issued. Round 2 - “One Stop Shop” MVP Demonstration: July 10, 2026: Submissions Due (MVP Dashboard - Virtual Demonstration). July 24, 2026 : Down-select Announced to Round 3.

Round 3 - Agentic Automation and Modeling: August 25, 2026: Validation & Live Demonstrations (Fort Carson, Colorado). Post-Round 3 (To Be Determined): Secure Cloud Integration & Follow-On Procurement.

Prototyping deployment with an Army unit, pending appropriations Challenge Structure & Prize Breakdown This challenge will be conducted via an initial down-select round followed by two consecutive evaluation rounds to move from a conceptual architecture to a fully modeled prototype.

The total prize purse of $2,000,000 is distributed across multiple phases, with up to 10 advancing vendors sharing a $500,000 pool in Round 2, and up to 3 final winners sharing a $1,500,000 pool in Round 3.

Round 1: Initial Down-Select (The Pitch Deck) The Goal: To rapidly assess the industrial base and identify commercial vendors possessing mature, enterprise-ready software architectures (TRL >= 7) that maps directly to the multi-agency spectrum management requirements. Submission Requirement: A 15-slide horizontal presentation deck (PDF, 16:9 format).

Submissions must provide a clear and concise overview of the company’s core technology, principal team members, software maturity levels, relevant past performance, and a high-level conceptual strategy for achieving architectural interoperability with legacy Federal databases (e.g., Spectrum XXI). Submissions should directly address the evaluation criteria outlined in the evaluation criteria to maximize competitiveness.

Outcome: Submissions will be rigorously evaluated against the Round 1 criteria . Qualifying companies with compliant, competitive, and highly viable submissions will be formally selected and invited to participate in Round 2. Participation in Round 1 is a prerequisite for challenge advancement; however, no prize money is awarded at this initial gateway.

Round 2: The "One Stop Shop" Minimum Viable Product The Goal: Develop a Minimally Viable Product (MVP) dashboard demonstrating seamless interagency coordination. The platform must feature a unified user interface where a spectrum authority (acting as DoW, NTIA, FCC, and FAA) can view, annotate, and approve or deny certification and allocation requests.

It must include basic geospatial plotting of the request and a static emission profile. Prize Purse: $500,000 total Round 2 prize pool. Up to 10 winners will receive a proportionate share of the Round 2 pool.

The Government may award up to 10 prizes with this Round but is not obligated to do so. Submission: A 10-page maximum technical architecture white paper detailing API integration strategies with legacy databases (e.g., Spectrum XXI, NTIA databases) integration approach for propagation and spectrum coexistence modeling, and AI/automation strategy, accompanied by a 5-minute video demonstration of the MVP UI/UX.

Round 3: Agentic Automation & Propagation/Spectrum Coexistence Modeling The Goal: Demonstrate military battlespace coordination with high-fidelity Modeling & Simulation (M&S).

Advancing teams will integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) agents designed to automatically receive structured and unstructured documents, extract data, create and disseminate packets, triage requests, and highlight high-risk interference packets for human review.

This requires demonstrating successful, automated coordination of a massive emitter footprint equivalent to an Army Brigade Combat Team (ABCT), including high certainty propagation and spectrum coexistence modeling, including but not limited to clutter, aggregate interference, and atmospheric effect (including, but not limited to degradation). Prize Purse: $1,500,000 Round 3 prize pool.

Up to 3 winners will receive a proportionate share of the Round 3 pool. The Government may award up to 3 prizes with this Round but is not obligated to do so. Submission : A live, virtual demonstration of the software routing a simulated ABCT deployment dataset at Fort Carson in Colorado, plus delivering source code snippets or technical data packages (TDPs) validating the propagation and spectrum coexistence modeling engine.

Post-Challenge: Enterprise Procurement & Fielding Following a successful Round 3 demonstration and technical review, the Government may pursue one or more acquisition pathways based on system maturity, end-user feedback, and available funding. Participation in this Challenge does not guarantee an award, contract, or agreement. However, in accordance with 10 U.S.C.

§ 4022, the Government reserves the right to award a follow-on prototype Other Transaction (OT) agreement or a traditional Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)-based procurement contract to any participant who successfully completes the project under this competitive Prize Challenge.

The Government further reserves the right to utilize any FAR or non-FAR rapid acquisition vehicle, prototype framework, procurement instrument, or baseline prototyping modification deemed appropriate to transition successful technologies from live evaluation directly to enterprise fielding.

To be eligible for any subsequent prototype or procurement award, the end solution must be architected to operate within a Government Cloud environment, capable of achieving Impact Level 5 (IL5) and eventually Impact Level 6 (IL6) cloud security accreditations. Submissions will be rigorously evaluated by a Board of Advisors featuring representatives from DoW CIO, OUSD(R&E), Army G-6 (ASMO), NTIA, FCC, FAA, and DHS.

Round 1 – Initial Pitch Deck The initial 15-slide commercial pitch deck submissions will be screened for challenge advancement.

Evaluators will score submissions across two primary pillars: Technical Feasibility & Maturity: Assesses whether the underlying commercial software architecture is highly mature (TRL >= 7) and structurally viable for rapid modification and enterprise deployment without requiring foundational research and development.

Mission Alignment: Assesses how comprehensively and innovatively the company's baseline capability addresses the defined problem space, specifically mapping to the core mandates of automated workflow routing, Agentic AI data extraction, architectural openness, and high-fidelity propagation and spectrum coexistence Modeling & Simulation (M&S). Round 2 – Proposal Evaluation Round 2 submissions will be evaluated against the criteria below.

Interoperability & Architecture (30%): The viability of the platform's machine-to-machine Interfaces (e.g., APIs, Message Queues, Event Driven, Graph Interfaces) to ingest and export data from siloed Federal and non-Federal databases (e.g., Spectrum XXI, NTIA, and FCC databases). Evaluates the credibility of data standardization methods and the architectural pathway to achieve IL5/IL6 security accreditation.

For federal systems that represent an architectural dependency demonstration of connectivity is a factor. Agentic Logic & Triage Accuracy (25%): The agent's ability to accurately parse complex DD Form 1494/JF-12 data, apply NTIA Redbook and FCC rule logic, and successfully flag high-risk interference profiles (e.g., GPS/GNSS interference) while automating low-risk approvals.

A key metric is determining if the authorization is likely to be approved by spectrum managers/regulators. Adaptability over time is a key performance metric Modeling & Simulation Fidelity (20%): The accuracy of the physics-based RF propagation modeling and spectrum co-existence analysis, accounting for terrain losses, power thresholds, and atmospheric effects, and its ability to deconflict a congested EMS environment.

User Experience / UI (25%): The intuitiveness and clarity of the "One Stop Shop" dashboard for a human spectrum manager. Evaluates how the UI streamlines the workflow to approve, deny, or annotate an AI-flagged packet. Round 3 – Operational Demonstration & Integrated Technical Review Building on the Round 2 down-select, Round 3 is a hands-on, operational software assessment.

Evaluation combines the live virtual demonstration with a technical debrief to form a complete picture of the capability. Criteria include: Demonstrated Mission Performance: The solution's effectiveness in routing a simulated Armored Brigade Combat Team or similar Army unit dataset.

Validates the AI's data parsing, rule logic, and the modeling engine's accuracy under complex, simulated conditions (accounting for terrain, power thresholds, signal degradation, and integration of differing models provided by FCC, FAA, NTIA, and DoW/Army).

Performance will be directly evaluated on its ability to meet or exceed the target time reduction (under 96 hours), accuracy, and efficiency metrics outlined in the Technical Capabilities List. Agentic Logic & Triage Accuracy: The AI's ability to accurately parse complex technical data, apply interagency rule logic, flag high-risk interference profiles, and automate low-risk approvals or generation of alternative lower-risk COAs.

Warfighter-Centric Assessment: Direct feedback from end-user representatives (e.g., tactical communicators) on the intuitiveness of the dashboard, ease of use, and its tangible impact on the workflow of personnel who must quickly assess an AI-flagged packet.

Technical and Integration Review: Following the live demonstration, company engineers and operators will conduct a critical Q&A technical debrief with the government evaluation team to address: Integration Pathway: The speed and feasibility of hooking APIs into legacy government platforms (e.g., Spectrum XXI, NTIA databases). Security & Compliance: The roadmap to achieving IL5/IL6 cloud security accreditations and NDAA compliance.

Sustainment & Support: Plans for continuous AI model training, software patching, and lifecycle support. Demonstration Event Logistics Demonstrations at the event will occur in a live, virtual environment using complex, simulated datasets. All submissions will be tested and operated by a designated team of DoW/Interagency end-users to the maximum extent possible.

All simulated datasets provided by the Government must be treated and protected as Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Post-Challenge – Procurement and Fielding Following a successful Round 3 demonstration and technical review, the Government may pursue one or more rapid acquisition pathways based on system maturity, end-user feedback, and available funding.

The Government reserves the right to award a follow-on prototype Other Transaction (OT) agreement in accordance with 10 U.S.C. § 4022, or a traditional Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)-based procurement contract, to any participant who successfully completes the project under this competitive Prize Challenge.

The Government further reserves the right to utilize any FAR or non-FAR rapid acquisition vehicle, prototype framework, procurement instrument, or baseline prototyping modification deemed appropriate to transition successful technologies from live evaluation directly to enterprise fielding.

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) strengthens national security by accelerating the adoption of commercial technology in the DoW and bolstering our allied and national security innovation bases. DIU partners with organizations across the DoW to rapidly prototype and field dual-use capabilities that solve operational challenges at speed and scale.

With offices in Silicon Valley, Boston, Austin, Chicago and Washington, DC, DIU is the Department’s gateway to leading technology companies across the country. Intellectual Property Considerations: Applicants retain ownership of existing Intellectual Property (IP) submitted under this Challenge and agree that their submissions are their original work. Applicants are presumed to have sufficient rights to submit the submission.

For any submission made to the Challenge, you grant DIU a limited license to use this IP for testing and evaluation for efforts specifically related to the Challenge. DIU will negotiate with individual competitors in the event additional usage, integration, or development is contemplated.

Other Transaction Authority: This DIU Challenge public announcement is an open call to small businesses and non-traditional defense contractors seeking innovative, commercial technologies proposed to create new DoW solutions or potential new capabilities fulfilling requirements, closing capability gaps, or providing potential technological advancements, technologies fueled by commercial or strategic investment, but also concept demonstrations, pilots, and agile development activities improving commercial technologies, existing Government-owned capabilities, or concepts for broad Defense application(s).

As such, the Government reserves the right to award a contract or an Other Transaction agreement for any purpose, to include a prototype or research, under this public announcement. The Federal Government is not responsible for any monies expended by the applicant before award and is under no obligation to pursue such Other Transactions.

Satisfying Competition Requirements: This DIU Challenge Open Call Announcement is considered to have potential for further efforts that may be accomplished via FAR-based contracting instruments, Other Transaction Authority (OTA) for Prototype Projects 10 USC 4022 and Research 10 USC 4021, Prizes for advanced technology achievements 10 USC 4025, and/or Prize Competitions 15 USC 3719.

The public open call announcement made on the DIU website is considered to satisfy the reasonable effort to obtain competition in accordance with 10 USC 4025(b), 15 USC 3719 (e) and 10 USC 4022 (b)(2). Accordingly, FAR-based actions will follow announcement procedures per FAR 5. 201(b).

DIU reserves the right to cancel, suspend, and/or modify the Challenge, or any part of it, for any reason, at DIU’s sole discretion. Please send your questions via email to prizechallenge@diu. mil - Reference "Spectrum Strike Prize Challenge" on the Subject Line Any U.S. or International Participants will be subject to a security screen before acceptance to the finals.

Ability to demonstrate the solution’s capabilities by August 2026. Companies without a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code will be required to register in the System for Award Management (SAM) and have an active registration to be eligible for a Prototype agreement, if selected. The DoW recommends that prospective companies begin this process as early as possible.

Any small business or non-traditional defense vendor is encouraged to apply.

Non-Traditional Defense Contractor definition: An entity that is not currently performing and has not performed, for at least the one-year period preceding the solicitation of sources by DoW for the procurement or transaction, any contract or subcontract for the DoW that is subject to full coverage under the cost accounting standards prescribed pursuant to section 1502 of title 41 and the regulations implementing such section (see 10 U.S.C 3014).

Rising Smoke Prize Challenge 2026-07-02 23:59:59 US/Eastern Time The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), in partnership with Blue Horizons and Air Force Research Laboratory ( AFRL) RF Seekers Branch, is offering a $250,000 prize challenge for a conceptual active RF radar seeker design and future use considerations for use in a 2. 75-inch class munition.

This technology focus area supports efforts to evolve a low-cost 70mm missile variant by integrating an RF active seeker capable of all-weather lock-on-after-launch engagements. The prize challenge is designed to identify top-performing solutions for potential prototyping and eventual transition into a $50M rapid acquisitions program using an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) vehicle.

Benefits of Participating: $250,000 in total funding split among up to three (3) top-performing finalist companies Consideration for the follow-on $50M rapid acquisitions program contract Engagement opportunities with mission partners and DoW leaders for winning team(s) Any U.S. Participant s will be subject to a security screening if selected. International participants are not eligible at this time.

Companies without a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code will be required to register in the System for Award Management (SAM) and have an active registration to be eligible for a Prototype agreement, if selected. The DoW recommends that participating companies begin this process as early as possible. Any US business is encouraged to apply.

All dates are tentative and subject to change May 28, 2026: Open Call Release (DIU Website) June 8, 2026: Ask Me Anything Session (12:00 PM ET) July 2, 2026: Open Call Submission Window Closes July 2026: Winner(s) Announced Phase 2: Rapid Acquisitions Program Contract August 2026: Top performers may be invited to submit a proposal for the $50M rapid acquisitions program contract (less than 60 days) without further competition Industry Ask Me Anything (AMA) Session On June 8, 2026, at 12:00 PM ET, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) will host a virtual Ask Me Anything (AMA) session for the Rising Smoke Prize Challenge: Register Here.

The session will provide prospective participants with an overview of the challenge objectives, timeline, eligibility, and submission requirements. Following the overview, attendees will have the opportunity to submit questions directly to the challenge team and subject matter experts during an open Q&A discussion.

A consolidated Q&A document summarizing questions and responses from the session will be posted to the event page following the AMA for those unable to attend live. The Department of War (DoW) requires a commercially viable, active RF radar seeker for the low-cost 70mm missile variant. The immediate challenge is to identify a conceptual design that can be integrated within the strict 2.

75-inch munition form factor, enabling all-weather lock-on-after-launch (LOAL) engagements. The resulting solution must demonstrate a clear pathway to transition an affordable sensing capability into scalable missile production. Since the seeker's outer diameter is small (maximum 2.

75 inches/70mm), the design must prioritize the “art-of-the-possible” by balancing trade-offs between detection range, power requirement, and seeker field of regard, while maintaining compatibility with both aircraft (LAU-131 and LAU-68) and ground launch systems. Successful and scalable solutions have the potential to redefine how the Department fields low-cost missile capabilities against increasingly complex threat sets.

The AFRL RF Seekers Branch is partnering on this $250,000 prize challenge to identify top performers for a potential follow-on $50M rapid acquisitions program. The effort supports development of a low-cost 70mm missile variant.

The envisioned concept of operations for the RF seeker is to autonomously acquire and track targets after missile launch, provide guidance inputs to the guidance section, and secondarily it would be ideal to trigger warhead detonation via a proximity fuze mode-Seeker Integrated Fuzing (SIF). White Paper submissions will be judged on seven (7) major criteria: Introduction: Clarity and conciseness